Logical reasoning PrepTest 151 · Section 3 · Question 2

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Argument Evaluation

Stimulus Summary:
Most people given an extra dollar with their change didn't return it, so most acted dishonestly.

Answer Anticipation:
In order to be dishonest, you must know that you're doing something wrong. It's possible that most people didn't even notice the extra dollar. In order to evaluate this argument, we need to know how many noticed that extra dollar, as they're the only ones who could act in a dishonest fashion.

Answer Explanation:
If most people who received the extra dollar counted their change and didn't return the dollar, then the argument is stronger. If most people didn't, then it's weaker. Since the different answers have an opposite impact on the argument, this is the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
When the LSAT talks about lies or dishonesty, it includes intent in the definition—you can't accidentally lie or act dishonestly.

Incorrect. As long as there were enough transactions to draw a statistically relevant conclusion, it doesn't matter if they made up 5% or 95% of the transactions in the study. An answer about the number of transactions being high enough might be correct here, but an answer about the percent isn't.

Incorrect. The argument doesn't care about how people perceive themselves, but rather how they act.

Incorrect. The argument's conclusion is about those who didn't return the dollar. The answer to this question might determine whether even those few who appeared to act honestly had ulterior motives, but not whether a majority acted dishonestly.

Incorrect. Seeing what would happen in a study with separate facts wouldn't help evaluate the outcome of this study.